Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad

Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad

Company type	Railroad company
Industry	Rail transport
Predecessor	New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad
Founded	1867
Defunct	1882 (leased by New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad)
Fate	Leased by New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Headquarters	United States
Area served	Connecticut
Parent	New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (from 1882)

The Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad, initially known as the New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad, operated within Connecticut providing a direct rail connection between New Haven and Boston. Despite its strategic route, the railroad faced commercial difficulties due to the challenging landscape in eastern Connecticut. In 1882, the line was leased by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The section running from Portland, Connecticut to Willimantic, Connecticut was discontinued in 1965, while the remaining tracks are currently managed by the Providence and Worcester Railroad.

History

The concept of an air-line railroad linking New Haven and Boston was first pursued in 1846 through the New York and Boston Railroad Company. Construction commenced in 1853 but was interrupted by the Panic of 1857, causing the company to collapse.

In 1867, a group of investors revived the initiative by forming the New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad Company. Passenger service began between New Haven and Middletown in 1870, with full extension to Willimantic completed by 1873. However, mounting construction debts forced bankruptcy in 1875, leading to reorganization under the name Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad.

The line was leased by the expanding New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1882. Over time, certain portions were abandoned—most notably between Portland, Connecticut and Willimantic, Connecticut in 1965—while other segments remain operational under the Providence and Worcester Railroad. The easternmost stretch has since been incorporated into the Air Line State Park Trail.

Station listing

Location	Station	Miles (km)	Connecting lines
New Haven		0.0 (0.0)	New Haven Line, New Haven and Derby Railroad, Canal Line, Shore Line, New Haven–Springfield Line
	Cedar Hill	1.7 (2.7)	Shore Line, New Haven–Springfield Line
North Haven	Montowese	4.9 (7.9)
	Northford	8.2 (13.3)
Wallingford	East Wallingford	12.5 (20.1)
Middlefield	Middlefield & Durham	18.6 (29.9)
	Middlefield Center	19.5 (31.4)
	Rockfall	21.0 (33.9)
Middletown	Middletown	24.4 (39.3)	Connecticut Valley Railroad, Hartford and New Haven Railroad
East Hampton	Cobalt & Middle Haddam	30.1 (48.5)
	East Hampton	33.2 (53.5)
Colchester	Lyman Viaduct	37.0 (59.5)
	Westchester	39.8 (64.0)
	Amston (Turnerville)	44.2 (71.1)	Colchester Branch
Lebanon	Leonard's Bridge	47.1 (75.8)
Columbia	Chestnut Hill	49.5 (79.7)
Willimantic		54.1 (87.0)	New York and New England Railroad, Central Vermont Railway

The branch extending from Amston to Colchester did not include any stations between these points.